Madeline "Madge" O'Grady, 76, died of cancer January 29, 2004 at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital after an illness lasting about 18 months.
She was born Madeline Aurelia Agatha O'Grady on January 23, 1928 in Lansdowne. Her parents, Leonard O'Grady and the former Genevieve Leeder, moved to Brockville when Madeline was six months old.
She attended St. Francis Xavier Separate School and Brockville Collegiate Institute and Vocational School.
For 26 years she worked in the Owen R. Davis and Co. Ltd. insurance office, leaving in 1978. In 1981, she started working as the constituency secretary in MPP Robert W. Runciman's local constituency office and remained there until 1991, when she retired.
Miss O'Grady belonged to St. Francis Xavier Catholic Parish, Brockville, and was an active member of its Catholic Women's League.
She was also a member of the Leeds/Grenville Progressive Conservative Association and was a former member of the Brockville Curling Club.
Her interests included gardening and literature. She loved to read and also wrote some light fiction. She had a quiet reserved nature, but frequently she would come out with the mot juste in conversations with family and close friends.
She is survived by her brother Patrick O'Grady of Addison and five sisters, Kathleen Monahan of Kingston, Genevieve O'Grady of Brockville, Theresa Brigden of Bramalea, Joan Smith of Georgetown and Margaret Rose Hawken of Burlington, as well as several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents, brothers Joseph O'Grady (who died serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force in the Second World War), John Hanley O'Grady and Gerald O'Grady (who was a former front page editor for The Recorder and Times), and sisters Loretta McGuire (who lived in Ottawa) and Justine O'Grady (who lived in Brockville).
Friends called at the Irvine Funeral Home and Chapel, Brockville, where on January 30 the CWL recited the Rosary. The funeral was held January 31 in St. Francis Xavier Church, with Rev. Father Julius Nwagbara officiating. Burial followed at St. Francis Xavier Cemetery on the Lyn Road.
The pallbearers, all nephews, were Luke O'Grady, Dr. Brian McGuire, Cullen Hawken, Dr. Michael Monahan, Patrick Smith and Dr. Joseph McGuire.
Memorial donations were directed to Hospice of Providence Palliative Care at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital.
Robert Flake, 62
Robert George Flake, 62, of RR 1, Oxford Station, died February 11, 2004 at his home, surrounded by his family.
He was born May 17, 1941 in Osgoode, Ont. to John Flake and the former Beatrice Babcock.
He married Elaine Babcock June 25, 1960 in Kemptville.
He had been employed at Dupont of Canada for over 39 years when he retired in November 2001.
He is survived by his wife Elaine (nee Hurlbert); son Terry Robert Flake; five sisters, Olive Grant and husband Carmen, Elva Sherbino and husband Earl, Ina Wienecke and husband Alfred, Dorothy Nitschke and husband Roy and Helen Peterson and husband Donald; two brothers, Harold Flake and wife Carol and Vern Flake and wife Lois; and sisters-in-law Muriel Merkley and Mona St. John, as well as several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents.
A private memorial service was held at Grant Brown Funeral Home-Rolston Chapel, Kemptville, officiated by his nephew Rev. David Sherbino. His niece Amanda Renaud sang Amazing Grace. Burial was at Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Maitland.
The pallbearers were Doug Nitschke, Donald Nitschke, David Flake, Brian St. John, Randy St. John and Kevin St. John.
Memorial donations to the Canadian Cancer Society or Kemptville District Hospital were gratefully acknowledged by the family.
Barbara Davis, 57
Barbara Jean Davis, 57, died of cancer January 2, 2004 at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital with family and friends at her side.
She was born January 27, 1946, in Brockville, where she lived all her life. She was the daughter of Gladys Ellacott, nee Ewart, of Brockville and Gerald Ellacott of Ottawa.
She attended Brockville public schools and graduated from Brockville Collegiate Institute and the Brockville Business College. Following her passion, she graduated from the Brockville General Hospital School of Nursing, where she was awarded the gold medal for highest standing.
She married Gary Davis on October 6, 1967 in an evening ceremony at St. Peter's Anglican Church, in her final year of nursing.
Mrs. Davis began her nursing career at Brockville General Hospital. After that, she worked at the office of Dr. Paul O'Connor, Phillips Cables, for the Prescott Family Medicine Centre and the Chelsea Court Health Centre. At the time of her death, she worked for MDS Laboratories, Brockville.
She enjoyed many activities, including skiing, boating, tennis and travel in her early years. Later she liked walking, knitting, sewing, reading and baking. She made knitted Christmas stockings for friends and relatives. She loved and enjoyed her heritage home on Ormond Street and her daily walks through town.
She was a member of the Brockville Rowing Club Ladies Auxiliary and was actively involved in St. Peter's Anglican Church. Her life was dedicated to caring for others, especially her mother and Aunt "Hon."
Mrs. Davis is survived by her husband Gary, of Brockville, son Kristopher Davis and wife Robin of Toronto and daughter Natalie Davis of Ottawa.
Also surviving are her brothers, Tom Ellacott and wife Joan of Brockville and Bob Ellacott and wife Patti of Maitland; half-brothers Fred Ellacott and wife Erika and Ken Ellacott and wife Nancy; stepmother Annette Ellacott, also of Ottawa, and many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her mother and father and her aunt and uncle, Dorothy and Robert Fisher of Ogdensburg.
A memorial service was held January 10 at St. Peter's Anglican Church, Brockville, with Father Michael Read officiating. A special nurses honour guard attended the service.
Memorial donations were directed to the Hospice of Providence Palliative Care at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital, to the Canadian Cancer Society and to St. Peter's Anglican Church.
Arrangements were made through the Barclay Funeral Home, Brockville.
Robert Powell, 89
Robert "Bob" Montagu Powell, 89, a retired chemical engineer and veteran of the Second World War, died March 17, 2004 at St. Lawrence Lodge after a short illness.
He was born April 8, 1914 in Ottawa to M. Grant Powell and his wife, the former Aurelia C. Hughson. He attended Trinity College School in Port Hope, then Kingston's Royal Military College from 1931 to 1935, where he was head cadet, BSM. He studied at the University of Toronto from 1935-1936 and graduated with a chemical engineering degree.
He married Louise Dewar on September 3, 1938 in the chapel of Bishop Strachan School, Toronto.
He served as an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War, 1939-1945 and was commanding officer of the HMCS Belleville from 1944-1945.
Mr. Powell was employed as a chemical engineer with CIL/DuPont Canada for more than 30 years in Shawinigan, Montreal, Windsor and Texas before coming to the Maitland plant in 1953. He retired in 1974.
Shortly after retiring he became co-chairman of the Sherwood Park Manor building campaign. His interest in community service and in helping those less fortunate continued through his involvement in the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, the United Way and his church, St. Peter's Anglican. He and his wife were members of St. Peter's and attended regularly. He served as warden and on the cemetery board.
He believed in the importance of honouring and preserving the natural environment. He and his wife built a cabin on Temperance Lake and were co-owners of two island properties with a Dr. Calder. Mr. Powell worked through conservation authorities and environmental groups to preserve the wilderness nature of the lake and to encourage people to respect wildlife.
During retirement and until about 11 years ago, he and his wife travelled, taking annual and semi-annual trips, often with friends. They went to Fiji and New Zealand, Arizona and the West Coast and Alaska and also took several cruises, including one along the St. Lawrence River.
He played golf at the Brockville Country Club and other courses until he broke his hip. He enjoyed gardening, cottage life and playing bridge.
He cared for his wife during the past decade of her memory loss, and he passed on his love of nature and adventure to his children, who remember him as a "gentle man of integrity, generosity, wry wit, intelligence and strength."
Mr. Powell is survived by his wife Louise; two daughters, Susan Thomson of Ottawa and Mayo Graham and partner Russell Yuristy of Ottawa; and four grandchildren, Martha Joslin, Robert Thomson and Ana and Zoe Yuristy. Also surviving are his sister Dr. Anne Powell of Toronto and 11 nieces/nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents and two brothers, Hugh and Alan Powell.
A memorial service was held March 20 at St. Peter's Anglican Church, Brockville, with Archdeacon Bev Lindsey officiating. Burial followed at St. Peter's Cemetery, Oakland Cemetery, just west of Brockville.
The pallbearers were Jeremy Powell, Russell Yuristy, Brian Proctor and Herbert Gibson.
Memorial donations to the Sierra Club of Canada and the (Anglican) Primate's World Relief and Development Fund will be gratefully acknowledged by the family.
Ralph Eric Lowe, 68
Ralph Eric Lowe, 68, of 2 Pearl Street West in Brockville, died March 14, 2004 at Kingston General Hospital.
Born November 10, 1935 to Eric Lawrence Lowe and the former Doris Muriel Graham, he grew up in Brockville and attended high school at Brockville Collegiate Institute.
Mr. Lowe was three years retired from his job as a plant labourer at Black and Decker in Brockville and was a member of the St. John Ambulance Canada, retiring as a sergeant major.
He earned Serving Brother Medal in 1985 for his volunteer work with St. John Ambulance. It was presented to him by the Governor General.
He married Shirley Blanche Rockey in Maitland on July 20, 1963.
His hobbies included citizen's band radio, cars, camping and taking vacations.
Mr. Lowe is survived by his wife Shirley, sons Terry Lowe of Brockville and Steven Lowe of Cardinal, and daughters Connie Lowe and Brenda Lowe, both of Brockville.
He is also survived by brothers Douglas Lowe and Roger Lowe of Brockville and his sister Bev Toupin of Cardinal, as well as eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents.
The funeral was held March 17 at Barclay Funeral Home, Brockville. Reverend Ron Horst of Trinity Anglican Church presided. Interment was at Roselawn Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Kent Walker, Jim Gilmour, Steven Lowe, Mike Beaudoin, Chris Waddington and John Lowe. Roger Lowe was an honorary pallbearer.
Memorial donations are directed to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
